Jennifer Ehle

Any western worth its dusty boots and big-sky openness should know what’s breathtaking about freedom, at the same time grasping how being tamed is an uneasy, clarifying rite of passage. That men have typically led these stories means there’s a lot still to be mined when women tackle this genre — both in front of and behind the camera — and in “East of Wall,” about a struggling ranch matriarch (Tabatha Zimiga) with a headstrong daughter (Porshia Zimiga), writer-director Kate Beecroft has found a worthy modern story of cowgirl hardiness near South Dakota’s Badlands.

That air of independence and restriction applies also to what “East of Wall” itself is: a narrative centered on first-time actors playing versions of themselves in a story shaped from their lives, in this case the joys and sorrows of the Zimigas’ open-plains existence rescuing, riding and selling horses, and dealing with financial uncertainty after the loss of a loved one.

When Chloé Zhao took the docu-fiction approach with her melancholy 2017 neo-western “The Rider,” the blended realism and dramatic choreography achieved something heartbreaking, reawakening the hybrid’s possibilities. Beecroft’s solid-enough first feature isn’t as effortlessly transcendent — the seams show a bit more. But there’s plenty of lived-in warmth in its accumulation of details and it gives needed voice to the concerns of women forging their own way in an environment that isn’t exactly kind on anyone.

Very quickly, we’re swept up in what’s loose, chaotic and appealing about tough, tattooed horse whisperer Tabatha and her rough-and-tumble operation, which includes her own children — Porshia is already a rising rodeo star — and various teenagers from this strapped region’s broken homes, plus her hard-bitten mom (Jennifer Ehle), who enjoys her peach moonshine. There’s an unruly found-family charm that belies what’s isolating and rundown about their situation and Austin Shelton’s vista-friendly cinematography does a good job contrasting that beauty and severity, especially in Tabatha herself, an earthy, battle-hardened goddess with a head half-shaved and half-draped with golden hair, and kind eyes rimmed with mascara. She always looks ready to calm a bronc, knock back a beer or tell you off.

Tabatha’s reputation for breaking wild steeds and supporting wayward kids is legion and her sales methods lean toward the unconventional: TikTok videos that frame horses at full speed against ravishing backdrops, and at barn sales, showcases that spotlight her girls’ performing skills. Money is tight, though, and the sting of her husband’s suicide a year earlier has put a grief wedge between Tabatha and Porshia as each tries to imagine what the future holds. That’s when an observant, dogged Texas rancher with his own baggage (Scoot McNairy) shows up with a tempting lifeline that puts everyone’s ownership of their fate in stark relief.

“East of Wall” lives in that indie space of wanting to respect and vibe equally, which means there’s a little too much slo-mo montage and, considering how invested we are in this family, not enough memorable scene work. But even with the thinnest of narrative framing and some arty touches that feel superfluous, there’s an overall portrait of authentic grit and resilience here, of knowing when to hold on and when to let go, that is well-nurtured by Beecroft’s admiring eye for these renegade women.

Nothing against McNairy and Ehle who play well with the first-timers, but there are moments when you wonder if Beecroft should have straight-up made a documentary, foregoing the harnessing of scripted incident for the rawness of what drew her to these people and this world in the first place. Which is another way of saying mother and daughter Zimiga are real finds, true-to-themselves keepers of a heartland tradition, and fresh faces getting to tell that story in a nontraditional form.

The series is available to watch on Channel 4’s streaming service and is based on Mary Wesley’s novel of the same name

Lovers of period drama are in for a real delight as a captivating Second World War series is now available to stream at no cost whatsoever.

Channel 4 is the proud broadcaster of this gem, which first graced television screens back in the early 90s and even snagged a BAFTA nomination for Best Drama Serial in 1993. The narrative unfolds within the picturesque confines of Helena Cuthbertson’s Cornish country abode, with the series’ name inspired by a scenic stretch of land between her house and the coastal cliffs where pivotal moments occur.

Cornwall’s reputation as a prime setting for exceptional period dramas remains unchallenged. The role of Helena Cuthbertson is portrayed by none other than Felicity Kendal of The Good Life fame, with Toby Stephens as Oliver Ansty, Jennifer Ehle as Calypso, and Tara Fitzgerald as Polly.

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Spanning from just before the outbreak of the Second World War to its aftermath in the mid-1980s, The Camomile Lawn has earned acclaim from enthusiasts as “ingenious”.

Mary Wesley’s novel kicks off with a family gathering in Cornwall during the tranquil summer preceding the global conflict, reports Cornwall Live.

When the family reconvenes for a funeral almost fifty years on, they come to terms with the profound effects the war had on their lives.

Wesley was spurred to pen The Camomile Lawn following the passing of her second husband, an event that left her in financial ruin.

Drawing from her own experiences, parts of the book reflect Wesley’s formative years, with the Cornish house mirroring Boskenna – the historic settlement – where she spent considerable time during her younger days.

Audiences expressed their views on the adaptation, with Antony Taylor declaring: “Simple and ingenious story, wonderful cast, perfect direction and a script full of sparkle. Watch it and love it.”

Drawing in over seven million viewers during its debut broadcast, The Camomile Lawn became Channel 4’s highest-rated drama of all time – a milestone it maintained as of 2022.

One admirer commented on IMDb: “The Camomile Lawn is one of my favourite British TV adaptations.”

Notmicro described it as “Compulsively watchable and great fun”, continuing: “I’d been curious for years to see this thing, both because of the very interesting actors, and the period setting.

“Now I’ve just watched the British DVD, and found that its absolutely brilliantly done, and compulsively watchable.

“It takes some time getting accustomed to the affected and presumably somewhat archaic upper-middle-class accents assumed by some of the actors.”

The Camomile Lawn is available to watch on Channel 4’s streaming service.